Going Gluten Free

[mereminerals]

Okay, I have finally convinced dh to take the plunge and for us to go gluten free. We are doing this for health reasons - dd10 has Hashimotos, ds18 has severe intestinal issues that nobody can figure out and I have lupus and fibromyalgia.

 

I need some serious hand holding. This is a huge step and I have absolutely no idea how to get started. So, if you are gluten free, what would be the top things you would advise someone who is wanting to go gluten free? Also, what are the best places to get recipes and mixes so I can make the transition as smooth as possible?

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Well, if you're anything like me, a few days into it, you will feel so much better that it won't seem that difficult at all. I'm really not even tempted by the gluten stuff anymore because I just don't want to have the intestinal pains back.

 

If you are used to eating a lot of sandwiches, toast, etc., things like that, then you will probably have some moments of worry about what you can possibly eat instead. You have to change your whole thinking about how you eat. I think it's easier to try to change the meal plan instead of trying to find substitutes for things. Gluten-free bread is not all that great in my opinion. Make more salads, stir-fries, baked potatoes, tacos with corn tortillas, etc.

 

There have been some good gluten-free breakfast threads on here. Do a search. I did some gluten-free baking for the holidays and most of those things came out pretty good. This lady has a bunch of gluten-free desserts.

 

My kids like pasta, so I buy brown rice pasta now so that I can make chicken noodle soup, lasagna, and other things we can all enjoy.

 

Rice is a great side dish, quinoa is also useful. I've had a really good buckwheat hot cereal.

 

It will take some adjusting of your ideas about food, but gluten-free can become second nature. If you start feeling better, you won't want to go back.

 

Best of luck to you all.

[LaxMom]

I would start by planning meals that are naturally gluten free: chili with rice, soup & salad, baked chicken, potatoes, that sort of thing. There are easy tweaks for favorites with flour as a thickener or coating, so that's a good place to start. Roasted potatoes were a favorite in place of croutons on salads here before being gf.

 

I would then look for gf subs for non-bread/bakery staples: find a gf pasta you like (I think the brown rice pastas are categorically inedible, but quinoa and corn pastas work well... except long noodles. I haven't found long noodles that work yet... or egg noodles), switch out any condiments and pantry items -soy sauce, salad dressings, etc - for their gf cousins, gf cereals, oatmeals, etc.

 

Then, you can start tweaking breads, desserts, etc. I've posted my gf pizza crust recipe and biscuit recipe here recently. I'm not a mix person so about the most I get into that territory is flour mixes. I like Bob's Red Mill gf all-purpose, Gluten Free Mama's Almond Blend, and Pamela's baking mix for different things and keep those, and tapioca starch and corn starch, on hand pretty much all the time.

 

There have been so many gf threads recently... I wonder if we should just have a social group.

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

I've tried to go gf before and it was tough. Oddly, it was easier to cut out everything than one thing. I did a month w/o *any* grains, legumes (including soy), sugar, or dairy. So we just ate fruits, veggies, meat, and healthy fats such as coconut, nuts and seeds, and avocado. It was actually an amazing experience. I know several people who were able to figure out various foods that were bothering them....and it wasn't gluten. My sister found out that legumes (soy in particular) was what was making her joints hurt so badly. She found that after than month she didn't have to take meds daily and could wear shoes other than Danskos! My bil discovered that his life-long digestive issues (for which he took meds) were due to dairy. Another friend had chronic cold sores that went away even while eating lots of tomatoes and nuts (I can't remember which food was causing them). I didn't end up having any food sensitivites or allergies (which is why I'm adding in a little dairy this time around), but I lost 10 pounds in a month which was monumental for me. And I felt great.

 

You can read about the Whole30 Challenge here.

[Unicorn.]

Link to several Gluten Free threads. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/tags.php?tag=gluten+free

 

Good luck, we started this a week ago. I agree w/ starting w/ what you know is gf naturally. Go to the Library and get some books, use the websites people here have/will list. Plan to spend a few hours perusing your local grocery stores (yes plural, even walmart). Look for naturally gluten free- rice crackers, rice noodles, potato flakes, corn flour, etc. And of course, lots of fresh fruits and veggies! Our store has a gluten free section, but most of the stuff in that section is the really expensive gf stuff. I discovered plenty of other gf foods on their normal aisles that were cheaper. (crackers, noodles, etc) I think planning ahead is the key. Make a weekly list of meals before you go to the store. You might find that gf means spending a bit more time in the kitchen (at least at first). I'm planning to do some cooking/freezing today, to make lunch easier this week.

[Mommee & Baba]

We've been gluten free for a month now due to health issues and my recently diagnosis of celiacs.

 

Here are a couple things I did when switching. Because going gluten free it's ALL or nothing. You can't just CUT some of it out and feel the effects. Gluten has to be cut out COMPLETELY!

 

Here is a link to a list of UNSAFE ingredients. I have this printed and in my purse!

 

Here is a link to a list of SAFE ingredients. I have this printed as well and in my purse.

 

Here is a link to SAFE gluten free candies.

 

 

 

Here are some the things I did.

1. Go through EVERYTHING in your cabinets, bathrooms, fridge, freezers, & stock pile. Remove ANYTHING that has gluten or any of the ingredients listed on the UNSAFE list.
   
2. Donate all the unopened gluten filled items or return them if you have the receipts.
   
3. Wash out any containers that had gluten items in them that you are reusing, such as flour containers, bisquick baking mix containers...ect.
   
4. Clean out your toaster, or replace it.
   
5. Clean your stove and oven thoroughly.
   
6. Menu Plan. I use to menu plan before but now that we're gluten free it's more crucial. No more last minute pick up dinner at the drive thrus. No more rush into the store and grab a fast freezer family meal. Gross anyway, right?! BUT still those options are pretty much VERY limited if not completely out of the questions. Follow the menu by having it posted up on you fridge and stick to it. This will help you from freaking out over what to make and HOW to make it gluten free. So prepare your recipes ahead of time by searching google, pinterest, and many blogs for recipes to help create your menu. Make a binder with your recipes.
   
7. Don't fall into the gluten free pre-packaged items. They cost alot vs. making your own. The only things we purchase pre-packaged that is gluten free that we thoroughly enjoy are snack crackers, tortilla chips, and occasionally sandwich bread.
   
8. Don't purchase items that say on the label "May contain wheat ingredients"...or "This product was processed in a facility with wheat"..
   
9. Relax. I freaked out at first but now we happily still eat our Taco Nights! Pizza Nights and enjoy our pancakes too, and even our spaghetti and macaroni and cheese lunches! Just differently now.
   
10. All your gluten free flours, starches and baking mixes are to be kept in the fridge or freezer.
    

Also know that just because it says ORGANIC or ALL NATURAL that this does NOT mean it's gluten free!

We eat Corn or Brown Rice Pasta. I don't purchase the boxed macaroni and cheese as it's $3.xx a BOX! So I make my own. I purchase all my gluten free baking flours through vitacost.com and have had MUCH success! I purchase my baking flours and starches in 2-3 month supply and freeze them. I purchase my pasta just as I would any other time prior to gluten free as I have it readily available locally here. The flours and starches are more expensive locally here and not all are available.

Edited January 7, 2012 by mamaofblessings

[Tiramisu]

The first week of going gluten free was tough. I was a huge wheat-eater. I had headaches and dizziness like I never experienced before. I'm still eating GF, but if I were ever to go back to a "normal" diet and go gluten free again, I would ease into it because the cold-turkey withdrawal symptoms were so unpleasant. Since giving up gluten, I've had no cravings for anything with gluten. I rarely buy GF food and instead just eat things that are naturally GF. It helps that we didn't have much processed food in our diet to begin with.

 

My first two weeks of being gluten free were marked by a much higher energy level. Then the viruses hit, one after another for more than two months--our worst fall and winter ever. Because we've had so much lingering illness, I can't tell if being GF is better for me or not. I feel like my anxiety level has increased but that could be due to some stressful life situations. :confused:

 

I really wish I could know clearly if GF is good for me. I may wait another month or two and then do a challenge.:glare:

[Crimson Wife]

If you're looking for sandwich bread, Udi's and Ener-G makes some decent ones (but they are pricey).

 

You can go to your local Whole Foods and they will print you out a list of all the GF products they sell. Then you can use that list to comparison shop at other stores and online.

 

We started transitioning to GF and dairy-free a month ago, and we're still in the process of finding foods my kids will actually eat.

[mereminerals]

Thanks for all the great information. We will doing this gradually at my husband's request. I will replace things with a gluten free alternate as we use things up. It may not be the ideal way to proceed, but at least this way dh is on board.:tongue_smilie: